Escort Upgrades - Transmission Build

The first job of course is to clean out the gearbox casings; once this is done there are just a couple of things to do before reassembly can commence.

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Casing Preparations

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1) Install Main-Shaft Bearing

The main-shaft bearing adjacent to the input shaft seal is replaced. This is staked in place by centre-punching the surrounding casing as can be seen clearer in some of the following photos.
The white plastic thing in the middle of the bearing is an oil slinger to improve lubrication. Make sure you refit it before fitting the new bearing!

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2) Install The Input Shaft Seal.

Remove the old input shaft seal.

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The seal is simply pushed home.
Note the orientation of the seal.

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3) Install The Differential Bearings Outer Races

The new outer races for the differential/output bearings now need to be fitted. The large portion of casing containing all the selector gear has it's race fitted first. This is just a case of gently tapping the old race out and tapping the new race into place using the old race to push it in square. The old race is withdrawn by tapping from the outside of the box in.

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Then the new race is pushed in place from the inside being careful to keep it square as you drive it in. This is where using the old race as a drift helps.
Drive it all the way in until it abuts against the shoulder. Don't forget to make sure that the wide part of the taper (thin edge of the race) is facing the inside of the gearbox.

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Next the other race is fitted on the opposite casing. This is a little different though as will become apparent on disassembly. This bearing is held off the edge of the casing by a pair of spring washers. This is to maintain a pre load on the diff bearings and prevent any end float.

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The two spring washers that provide the pre load. These are fitted into the casing ahead of the new bearing race.

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The new race fitted on top of the two spring washers that are visible behind the race. The race, which is a sliding fit, is now secured in place again with staking by taking a punch and lightly peening over the lip of the casing in two opposing sides. This is only to prevent the race from falling out during reassembly of the two casing halves after which it'll have no where to go as the diff bearing will hold it in place. So, bearing this in mind, don't over do it or the sliding race won't be able to slide up tight enough.

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4) Fit The Magnetic Debris Disc

Simply slot into place, and watch it doesn't simply slide out again! You should have your casing sat somewhere sturdy now and not require to move it again until re-assembly is complete.

Re-assembly

With the flywheel end of the gearbox casing on a sturdy work top with the flywheel side face down, proceed as follows:

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1) Install The Selector Shaft

The selector shaft and its lock plate are installed first.

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2) Install The Differential

This is followed by the installation of the LSD. I'm sure you can figure out which way around it goes; just take care not to damage the plastic speedo drive as you install it.

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3) Fit Reverse Gear

Before the gear can be installed, ensure that the fork at the bottom of the selector arm is engaged on the spigot from the selector shaft.

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4) Install The Input Shaft, Main Shaft & Selector Gear

First of all, yes this is the same photo from the strip down section. I don't appear to have one of the cleaned and rebuilt items ready to be fitted as I have either lost it or forgot to take one in the first place!
Either way, apart from the reverse gear that you have already fitted, this is what you are about to try to manhandle back into the gearbox casing. Only yours should look nice and clean.

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It is a bit of a juggling act with so much to align with only one pair of hands but it is easily achievable. Getting reverse gear to sit in place can be a bit of a pain. Take note from this picture where the selector forks locate.

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You will have to joggle the selector forks to guide them past the shift locking plate.

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5) Insert Selector Shaft Guide Sleeve (not on 4-speed transmissions)

Feed the selector shaft guide sleeve over the selector shaft and slide down through the selector forks. There are grooves in the sleeve that correspond with the selector fork positions, make sure you insert it the correct way around.

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The 1st / 2nd gear selector fork is locked to the sleeve with circlips. The 3rd / 4th gear selector fork is free floating on the sleeve.

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6) Casings Re-Assembly

The mating faces of the casings should be clean and free of all traces of old sealant, but you have already done that when you cleaned it.
The gearbox internals are given a light covering of gear oil prior to re-assembly of the casings.

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The new gasket is then laid in place on a bed of jointing compound/sealant (Blue Hylomar in this case).

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The mating face of the other half of the casing also needs to free from oil or grease, the internal faces are given a wipe round with a rag soaked in gear oil to provide a protective film against corrosion. The differential bearing outer race is also given a light smear.

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More jointing compound/sealant on the mating face of the housing ready for joining the two casing halves.

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The two halves of the casing can now be rejoined. This involves a bit more juggling to get the input, main and selector shafts aligned with there respective holes as the housings come together. The differential assy. should line itself up but take care with the magnetic debris disc.

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When fully home, the grooves in the input and main shaft bearings should be visible. And yes, this is another recycled 'strip' photo.

The casing bolts are now fitted and tightened to 15.5 - 19.9 lbf.ft. No particular sequence of tightening is given but I would recommend adopting the standard 'opposites' method.

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Finally, the retaining clips or 'snap rings' are fitted to the input and main shaft bearings. It may be necessary to lift the bearings slightly with a screwdriver to completely reveal the slot that they engage into.

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Note that the snap rings must be orientated in such a way that they don't impede on the fifth gear housing.
These clips or 'snap rings' are available in three thicknesses as shown below. The thickness that just fits the groove should be selected.

Snap Ring Thicknesses
1.86 - 1.89 mm (0.073 - 0.074 in)
1.94 - 1.97 mm (0.076 - 0.077 in)
2.01 - 2.04 mm (0.079 - 0.080 in)

Note for four speed transmissions now go straight to stage 10

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7) 5th Gear Housing

As before with the main casings, the mating faces need to be clean and free from oil or grease. The gasket is fitted to the main gearbox casing with jointing compound/sealant. Note that the gasket is purposely shaped so that it can only be fitted with the input and main shaft bearings snap rings sat in a particular orientation as shown in the photo above. There is actual a slight mistake in the
photo. The input shaft bearing snap ring (the upper one in the photo) is fitted upside down. The small cut out just visible at the top of the photo should be at the other end of the snap ring. This is to aid removal of the main shaft bearing snap ring on disassembly as its end is located into this cut out prior to removal.

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Another smear of jointing compound/sealant and the fifth gear housing is fitted. (8.5 - 10.7 lbf.ft)

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8) 5th Gear - Input Shaft

The input shaft fifth fear is fitted first, the splines of the shaft need to be lubricated with grease before assembly. The Ford manual quotes Ford Spec (& Part Number) ESEA-M1C-1014-A.
The manual also states that it will be necessary to heat the fifth gear up to about 80degrees C and then driven onto the splines. However, mine was a simple push fit without any heat (note it is not shown fully home in position in the photo).

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A new snap ring secures it in position.

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9) 5th Gear - Main Shaft

First another apology, in my ongoing incompetence I have either neglected to take the appropriate photos for this section or I have managed to loose them from the computer along the way. So I'm raiding the photos from the strip down section. Just imagine that the parts look all clean and shiny!
First the immaculately cleaned 5th gear is slid onto the lightly greased splines of the main shaft on the spotless gearbox. Honest!

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Assemble the cleaned 5th gear synchro onto it's equally shiny selector fork.

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The assembly is then lowered into the housing.

Note the engagement of the synchroniser fork spigot in the selector linkage fork.

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Lock it in place with the locking collar and a new circlip.

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Refit the fifth gear interlock unit to the fifth gear housing.

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You should now be at this stage.

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10) Fit 1st - 4th and reverse gear interlock pin

Yes, it's another photo pillaged from the strip down section. It now needs to be refitted to the main gearbox casing ready for setting up the 5th gear selector mechanism. Apply some jointing compound/sealant to the threads first.

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Fitted.

Note for four speed transmissions now go straight to stage 12

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11) Install 5th Gear Selector Pin

First the gearbox needs to be put into the 5th gear position. You achieve this by turning the selector shaft (where it exits the gearbox) clockwise as far as it will go and then pulling it out.
Here you can see a pair of self locking pliers doing the honours. Go gentle with it, you don't want to score the surface and damage the seal where is passes into the gearbox.

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The 5th gear selector fork is now pushed down to engage the 5th gear wheel.

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Now the 5th gear selector pin is slid into position on the selector shift rod ensuring that the pin engages with two guide prongs and the selector linkage fork. Do not tighten at this stage!

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Using a screwdriver in the slot in the end of the selector shift rod (upper arrow in the picture), turn the shift rod clockwise until it comes to a stop. Then tighten the clamp bolt on the selector pin (lower arrow) to fix the selector pin in position on the shift rod. The bolt should be secured with a thread locker such as loctite prior to assembly.
Please ignore the fitted gasket in this picture, although the gearbox looks nice and shiny it is in fact another strip down photo. This time though it's of the recently overhauled original mk3 gearbox. Also, the 5th gear wheel isn't engaged in this shot.

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12) End Cover Plate

As before, ensure both mating faces are clean and free from oil and grease. Lightly lubricate the 5th gear assemblies with gear oil and then assemble with a new gasket and jointing compound/sealant.

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Fitted.

That's the gearbox reassembly complete. Just remember to refill it with oil once it is back in the car!
Don't do it prior to fitment in the car as the oil will just run out of the open drive shaft connections.

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The contents of this website are purely a reflection of my own experiences and knowledge gained whilst working on my various projects. Anything you do based on what you have read here is done so entirely at your own risk.
Personally I wouldn't trust someone like me with a lawn mower! You have been warned! Flapper-bat!

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